Pastor Bryan and I have a passion for multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches. In order to do that, we are constantly looking for faithful men and women who are committed to Jesus and His mission. One such man is Derek Earl, who serves as our bi-vocational Minister of Worship. Derek is a tremendous blessing to our staff team and the entire Redeeming Life family. He is a faithful husband and father, leads and manages all the details for our worship team, leads Bible studies in public places, and seeks to tell others about the gospel daily. For the next two week Derek will be stepping into the pulpit at Redeeming Life and bringing us a message from God's Word. We're excited for Derek to have these opportunities to learn and grow into his pastoral calling.

Please be praying for Derek as he preps his two sermons, works a full time job, shepherds his wife and children, and seeks to be a servant of Jesus in our faith family. Below you'll find a post written by Derek for this week's upcoming sermon on John 5:1-15. We hope and pray you'll be in the text this week preparing to hear from the Lord through Derek this Sunday.

- Pastor Brett

I think it is safe to say that we all long for healing in one area of our life or another. We long for the day when every tear will be wiped away and sorrow will be no more. These aches and pains, whether physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, etc., are constant reminders that we live in a broken world.

We see a snapshot of this kind of brokenness in John 5. In Jerusalem, just inside the Sheep Gate, there was a pool called Bethesda. It was surrounded by dozens of invalids; blind, lame, and paralyzed. The scene probably resembled something similar to our own downtown streets, where the crowds of homeless men and women lay scattered about, disorganized and hopeless. At the time there was a common belief that God would occasionally send an angel to stir up the waters of the pool. Whoever entered first, after the waters had been stirred, would be healed of whatever disease or brokenness they had.

Jesus just so happened to be walking by the pool one day when he noticed a man that had been an invalid for nearly 40 years. Then, without making any real effort to introduce himself, Jesus asked the man a rather bizarre question.

“Do you want to be healed?”

Now the question seems bizarre because the man is at a pool commonly believed to be a “healing pool.” Simple rationale would lead us to think, “Of course the man wants to be healed. That’s why he’s there!’” Or is it?

What is even more bizarre is the man’s response. He replies to Jesus by saying, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up…” Did he not recognize the Healer that was standing right in front of him, or was he just content making excuses for his current situation?

Whatever Jesus’ motive was for asking his question, and whatever the invalid’s motive was for responding the way he did, this passage forces us to ask ourselves a few questions.

1. What areas of your life feel most broken and in need of healing? (Physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, financial, etc.)

2. Is there a chance that you have neglected to acknowledge the healing power of God that stands right before you? If so, why?

3. Are there areas of brokenness in your life that you have grown comfortable with?

4. Do you want to be healed? If so, what steps can you take to respond to Christ’s offer?